MiniAuto Gt40

6983 Views 71 Replies 26 Participants Last post by Wankel Ickx, Feb 20, 2004

philsmith

Discussion Starter · Feb 12, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

This years Mini Auto magazine suscription car is the silver Graham Hill GT40, shame Fly have not included the bug screen and mirrors that this car ran with, but looks sharp anyway.

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21 - 40 of 72 Posts

Mo55man

· #21 · Feb 13, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE 'Is the silver no7 GT40 a Mini Auto ONLY release, or is Fly releaseing this car to the general market in standard packaging with a standard catalogue number?'

I think Gaugemaster are more equipped to answer this one. But, from what I know, the car is generally for Miniauto subscribers only, with a number going to importers like Gaugemaster to pass on to dealers. I think it's a kind of good will gesture for promoting the Yearbook.

From past years models the car is not re-packaged under a different catalogue number.

M

Jamie

· #22 · Feb 13, 2004

Could someone kindly inform me, what's the story behind the lights?

Genuinely curious.

Were they taped/removable covers? Just looks different?

If they were taped, I wonder why Fly didn't use there trademark silver sticky tape, in a way similar to the Lola, smashed 917 etc.

Jamie

P.S. I like that Silver tape stuff - anyone know where you can get a roll?

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Russell Sheldon

· #23 · Feb 14, 2004

For anyone interested, herewith the subscription details for MiniAuto magazine:

Mailing Address: REVISTAS PROFESIONALES S.L., C/Valentin Beato 42, 3ª Planta - Madrid - 28037, Spain.

Language: Spanish

Website: http://www.revistasprofesionales.com/

E-mail: Online e-form

Cost: Various options. See website. Option B is 12 issues for 95€ includes the limited edition Fly Ford GT40 Mk.II (plus 10€ for postage).

Comments: This is a splendid full colour model car magazine, but almost a third to half of the content covers modern 1/32nd slots. Most up to date for the latest releases. In depth track tests and great colour photos! It's been around a long time -- the February 2004 issue is #89.

Kind regards

Russell

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Russell Sheldon

· #24 · Feb 14, 2004

As mentioned by Phil, the wind deflector that was unique to the 1966 Le Mans Alan Mann Racing Ford GT40 Mk.II, driven by Graham Hill & Brian Muir, is missing. It should be easy to add:-

Kind regards

Russell

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philsmith

Discussion Starter · #25 · Feb 14, 2004

............and of course, so are the mirrors. Graham Hill would not race without outside mirrors and this was the only GT40 fitted with them in the race.
Remember the huge mirrors he had fitted to the Lotus 56 turbine at Indy? he had a thing about them!

Gaugemaster Controls

· #26 · Feb 14, 2004

Quite right Mo55man, the Miniauto release is a model commisioned by Miniauto magaqzine for their subscribers, but the deal with Fly is that all the distributors will have a small quantity to sell without the subscription. This model is in a standard box and will not be re-released as another model.

Aaron

mtucker666

· #27 · Feb 14, 2004

GS had some (5) available today. Not on the website (they did not have time to put them up as they all had a wedding to go to). However in the 1hr I was in the shop 2 went to telephone orders. Not sure what the RRP was but I think it is nr the £60 mark. If you want one w/o the subscription I'd advise get your email/tel order in quick.

Matt

MRE

· #28 · Feb 14, 2004

I think this GT40 is very good, and not a livery I can recall being modelled before, even back in the 1960's.

And it is IN STOCK at MRE...........

Ken R

· #29 · Feb 14, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

nevermind

MRE

· #30 · Feb 14, 2004

You know, I couldn't agree more about the Fly prices. Fly have been ripping slotters off for ages, and yet the cars still sell, but in much smaller numbers as people get wise. There is no extra production cost in making the Miniauto GT40 than any other GT40, yet the price is 75% more.

Please don't knock what the dealers charge, you can see for yourself what the full RRP is on Gaugemasters site, and we get charged a high trade price for these cars too. The cars are priced at the normal markup, which we have to do or we couldn't stay in business, but I agree that it is very high and typical Fly making money. No one is forcing you to buy any Fly car, but market forces decide if this car will sell or not.

Personally, I'd like to see Fly prices competitive with Scalextric, Ninco, SCX, etc.

Cambridge Blue

· #31 · Feb 15, 2004

Got mine through the magazine subscription this week. Looks nice model but I am a little disappointed to say that on the passenger side of the car both the head light cover and the door window could have been fitted better on the car. There is a noticeable gap between the bottom of the window and door when you take a closer look at the car. The paint finish however appears a lot better than I have seen on some recent Fly cars, although the black bands on the rear "deflector" are slightly out of alignment. (Just had a look at another Fly GT40 and it seems that on close inspection that this has the same issues, so it seems this is not a one off issue before people say I have a dud one!)
This is not meant as another bashing exercise (I do have a lot of Fly cars, collectors and ones that are raced) but perhaps highlights one of the reasons why I am not collecting all the Fly models any more.

CB

Tropi

· #32 · Feb 15, 2004

I like Gary's down-to-earth and realistic approach to the prices and it truly isn't the dealers' fault. It IS the market that tells Fly how to pitch their prices and, while enough people pay continue to pay inflated figures, that will continue.
One thing for sure - I am not contributing to it!

The funny thing is that, sometimes, increasing prices can actually increase demand!
There is an odd class of purchaser who simply ignores anything that, because it is reasonably priced, they see as 'it must not be very good'.
It may be crazy, but these people exist and their distorted brain cells to pounds-in-pocket ratio makes life difficult for the rest of us.

I think our moaning about it probably makes them feel even better about their ability to do it to us!

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darainbow

· #33 · Feb 15, 2004

How many subscribers for that magazine?

Could it be that this car, while priced much higher, is actually more common than regular FLY cars?

I unnderstand they build 5-10000 of regular liveries. If there are 20000 subscribers, then there are ALOT of those cars out there!

I almost paid the premium (it does look great), but think this may only be perceived rarity.

Gaugemaster Controls

· #34 · Feb 16, 2004

The usual production run for Miniauto models is 1200 approximately, as once stock runs out, even if you subscribe, you won't get a car.

As for Garys comments QUOTE Fly have been ripping slotters off for ages
and
QUOTE There is no extra production cost in making the Miniauto GT40 than any other GT40, yet the price is 75% more.

two things must be remembered. Firstly, a normal GT40 sells for £40 and the Miniauto model sells for £67, both at rrp. Since very few retailers use full rrp, the cost is not 75% more, in fact it will probably be no-where near from most dealers.

Secondly, the price of the Miniauto car is not controlled by Fly - it is set by Miniauto magazine, and it is Miniauto magazine that we as distributors buy the cars from, so there is no 'ripping off' being done by Fly.

Aaron

jonny s

· #35 · Feb 16, 2004

`Ripping off` is by far, a bad way to describe whoever is selling/distrubuting anything. If you think It is worth the price then you will pay it if not noboody is twisting your arm are they? I think the term `rip off` is inaccurate and out of order.

Tropi

· #36 · Feb 16, 2004

On that basis, the term 'rip off' simply would not exist.
But it does.

Ken R

· #37 · Feb 17, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

nevermind redux

Mo55man

· #38 · Feb 17, 2004

I totally agree with Jonny. With anything you buy in this world, whether it be a slot car or a packet of washing powder. If the price ain't right then don't part with your money.

M

peter

· #39 · Feb 17, 2004

OK - I might be totally wrong here BUT

Suppose that the original intention with the release of this car is NOT to sell the car but to have the car as a uniqe and nice offer to subscribers. Suppose also that to be able to cover all foreseable subscriptions they would rather have a few too many than the other way around. Additionally once they do cover the initial subscription offer then they do not mind selling the 'lef overs'. So the idea with the price might be quite closely related to the point that they think about their customers (subscribers) and therefore the price of the car alone would have to be high enough not to deter from the original subscribtion offer. The philosophy might be that the subscription offer needs to be favourable, the car itself is secondary.
This makes good sense to me.

//peter

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TSRF

· #40 · Feb 17, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE If they were taped, I wonder why Fly didn't use there trademark silver sticky tape, in a way similar to the Lola, smashed 917 etc.

Actually, the color of the tape is wrong. The correct color is medium-dark gray with a tinge of metallic in it. This "duct" tape was first used for air conditionning sealing when building houses in the USA in the 1950's, then on Indy cars in the mid 1960's as a fix-it-all repair tape. It was then brought to Europe by racing car teams from the USA and distributed as "race tape". FLY used the silver tape because either they did not know the exact color, or they could not get it. Either way it is no big deal, especially since few appear to care, since all these precise models are only..toys, right?

QUOTE two things must be remembered. Firstly, a normal GT40 sells for £40 and the Miniauto model sells for £67, both at rrp. Since very few retailers use full rrp, the cost is not 75% more, in fact it will probably be no-where near from most dealers.

You are right, the mark-up is not 75% but 67.5%, a huge difference indeed. Only the retailers pay the same amount for one as they RETAIL the standard version. So they are supposed to give the special-limited-sure-to-be-highly-collectible version at lower profit?

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